The Orioles activated Keegan Akin from the 15-day injured list on April 25, 2025, bringing back their top left-handed relief option after he missed the start of the season with a groin strain. To clear a roster spot, Baltimore optioned right-hander Cameron Foster to Triple-A.
For the Orioles, the move matters because Akin had been unavailable all season, leaving Grant Wolfram as the club’s only southpaw reliever for the last several days while Akin and Dietrich Enns were out. The team also welcomed back Andrew Kittredge and Tyler O’Neill one day earlier, and Kittredge marked his season debut on April 24 with a 1-2-3 inning in Baltimore’s 10-3 win over the Red Sox.
Akin’s return comes at a time when the Orioles are trying to stabilize a bullpen that has been stretched by injuries. Akin and Kittredge had both spent the entire season on the injured list before returning, and Baltimore’s injured list still sat 10 players deep even after the three players were activated.
That crowded list helps explain the careful tone around Akin’s recovery. Orioles general manager Mike Elias said the club wanted to keep his arm in good shape because throwing was not the main issue, but the team needed the groin to heal and Akin’s lower body to get back into condition. Baltimore signed him to a $9MM contract that runs through 2026, a sign of how much the organization values the left-hander when he is available.
The tension for the Orioles is simple. They got one of their most useful bullpen pieces back, but not enough to say the workload problems are gone. With Foster sent down and more pitchers still on the injured list, Baltimore is patching together innings while trying not to rush anyone who can help later.
